Birthday Boy Birthday Girl

JULY 10, 2012

Turning 2 is just 2 cute!

Tatum's friend Cavan turned 2 just 2 weeks prior so we shared the cupcake cake.


Turning 8 is gr8.

Homemade ice cream sandwich cake with whipped cream frosting.

Surprise water party complete with slingshoting 200 water balloons.

2 Month Club

Hazel loves her mama, will coo and smile on demand, takes naps on the dryer on the fluff cycle, sleeps no more than 4 hours in a row at night, becoming a good traveler.

ameRAWcan bistro

I want you to sit down. Are you sitting down?

Ok.

There is this special, magical, sacred place...that is reserved only for the truly appreciative.

It's me and my friend Jennifer's place. But I will let it be yours too if you will never take its name in vain.

the ameRAWcan bistro in Tacoma has changed me forever.

Jen wanted to take me out for my birthday a couple weeks ago and I was looking onrestaurant.com for a gift certificate to help out with the cost. Jen really watches what she eats and even though I appreciate all types of food, I knew that she and I would be on the same page. We wanted eclectic, healthy and flavorful.

I saw a listing for this place and was immediately intrigued by the RAW in the title. After taking about 2.5 seconds to look at their downloadable menu, I was head over heels.

We were very worried that it would fail us and not be worth the 40-minute drive but we had high hopes that this was a diamond in the rough.

I still have dreams about this place even weeks later.

Upon entering this cozy cafe, you are seated and given an ipad menu. Yes, your menu is on an ipad. You get to swish your finger from entrees to starters to desserts. You can almost hear a man with a British accent reciting poetry in the background by the feel of the place but it is only smooth jazz on the overhead speakers which is fitting in its own way.

This place is no joke. It is raw in every sense and it boasts 100% organic and also mostly vegan fare. We were in heaven. I ordered the Italian Pizza as a starter, the Zucchini Fettuccine Alfredo for an entree, the Thai Coconut Curry Soup and Coconut Truffles for dessert. Jen ordered the Fiesta Quinoa Avocado Boat for a starter and then had the Raw Enchiladas for her entree. We also shared the Seasonal Fruit Parfait for dessert.

We. Could. Not. Stop. Moaning. It was good bite after bite after bite.

I have never tasted food this amazing in my whole life. It isn't comfort food which has an amazing quality all its own. This is different. This is fireworks, blow-your-ever-livin'-mind food. With ingredients such as cashew cream, sprouted buckwheat and quinoa, it is an out of body experience. Everything was amazing but the enchiladas were by far the best thing for dinner with their cashew paste tortillas but the parfait sent us into a head explosion coma. It will blow your mind too with it's sweet cashew cream and fresh fruit. The sprouted buckwheat granola rounds it all out perfectly.

The presentation was A+, the food was A++ and now we are forever loyal. I urge you, no, DEMAND you to go as soon as possible.

I also hear the crepes and cinnamon rolls are to die for. But we'll save those for another day.

4,3,2,1

On the 4th of July...

I took 3rd place...

In the annual pie contest for the 2nd time...

with my 7-Fruit Rainbow Pie which was the 1st time I had ever made it.

Whoopie Pies

At our house, to control the constant questions of whether they can have dessert, I have designated 2 dessert nights per week. This way, the kids always know when they will enjoy a sweet treat and I don't get bombarded every night with "can we have dessert."

Yesterday, Olivia got the choice and she wanted Oreos. Well, I beefed em' up and made a classic Oreo on steroids...a whoopie pie.

Ever since I watched Honey, I Shrunk the Kids about a thousand years ago, I have, on occasion, dreamed of that giant oatmeal cookie sandwich they find in the grass. They grab giant handfuls of the cream inside and plop it on chunks of the oatmeal cookie. I am a sucker for good frosting on a really good cake or cookie so I got on the internet and started to search. I found the filling recipe first and then went for a cake mix recipe for the cookie. I found the exact look I wanted and pieced several componants together to make what I think is the perfect whoopie pie.

Flat, chewy cookies with a tiny bit of crisp on the outside and a thick creamy, frosting center. I thought they were delicious if not a bit overindulgent.

If you want it, here you go...

Whoopie Pie

Cookie:

one 18.25 ounce box chocolate cake mix (try red velvet or strawberry for a twist)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 egg
3 tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and beat with electric mixer until well combined.

Drop by tablespoonfuls (I used my small ice cream scoop for uniformity) onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes.

Allow to rest on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before moving to cooling rack. Cool.

Cream Center:

Ingredients:

½ cup butter

½ cup shortening (or peanut butter if you want that flavor)

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow fluff

2 tsps vanilla extract

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add Fluff and vanilla and continue mixing until well combined.

Spread (or pipe) desired filling between two cookies and lightly press to form sandwiches. I like to store them in the fridge so the filling doesn’t squish out when eating.

Makes 18 pies

Hazy

Our littlest one just received a name and a blessing.

Hazel Ruby Atwood was blessed on July 1st by her father.

This is the worst representation of the reality of our Sunday mornings. We are neither poised nor calm. It is loud, chaotic and we are in our pajamas most of the morning.

Grandma Boo Boo made the trip for her special day and in the background you can see Tatum mimicking my "look at the birdie" action instead of actually looking at me. Hazel's not having any of it.
Luckily the day was very simple and sweet. Hazel was quiet through the entire blessing and Rob did a very nice job with his prayer. My only regret...not getting her blessing on tape. I reminded Rob not seconds before he got up to bless her to turn his iphone audio recorder on and he gave me the "I will, don't worry about it" look but then started the blessing without turning it on. As soon as he sat down, he looked at me and immediately knew he was in trouble. He was full of apologies and to say I wasn't bummed would be a lie but after 12 years of marriage, I have learned to let a lot of things go. Especially when it just isn't that important. Sure, I wanted to record the blessing but in the grand scheme of things, I think I will save my anger for when he forgets our plane tickets to Hawaii on the counter back at home.

All In Red for Independence Day

When Grandmothers come to visit, prizes are handed out and this year...4th of July t-shirts for all the grandkids. All 8 together for the first time makes for one happy grandma.

First time meeting Hazel. The newest addition.

33

To quote a friend, "Your husband puts all our husbands to shame!"

Yes ma'am, that is indeed true!

My 33rd birthday turned out to be quite the ride and lasted a full week. I began documenting the details Wednesday morning at exactly midnight when my husband volunteered to take a fussy, hadn't-slept-yet baby so that I could finally get some sleep.

Join me on my journey of gifts as I recollect on the day...or should I say week, that was all MINE!

12:00am Rob takes Hazel

4:50am I rise to feed Hazel, who is crying, and I notice that someone put in an order for sunshine for my special day.

9:01am My mom calls to wish my a happy one and tell me that I am her favorite child.

9:30 Hazel smiles as I coo at her

9:50am Kids pepper me with small tokens of love all from a neighbor's yard sale. A necklace, a book, a mug. I open cards from sisters, in-laws and friends.

Precurser: Rob tells me to be ready for phase I by 10:00am

10:25am Pam knocks on the door wishing me a happy birthday and hands me a bag with two gourmet cupcakes in it. Thank you Pam. Not a totally abnormal gesture but then another familiar face was at my door and then another and before I knew it...ONSLAUGHT!! Within minutes my cul-de-sac resembles the parking lot of Wal-Mart on black Friday as car after car spewed faces of dearly beloved.....all with two cupcakes each...and one sucker because she forgot.

Just like people from all walks of life, so were these cupcakes. Some gourmet, some grocery store. Some store-bought, some homemade. All because they value my friendship. My cup runneth over!




11:29am The house is quiet while Rob takes the 4 older and heads to Subway to bring back lunch. I nurse Hazel in silence.

12:00pm A sitter shows up and we begin phase II. Melain and Jon Blue show up. Hazel, Eden, Rob and I all get in the van with the Melain and Jon. I am instructed to take Dramamine just in case and then Wild Waves showed up on the master plan. Heck ya!!

We spend the next 2.5 hours riding roller coasters to our kiddie heart's content. Eden babysits while we ride and then vice versa.

4:20pm We arrive home to my neighbor Lori doing my dishes. "You shouldn't have to do dishes on your birthday."

5:02pm My sister Jessica calls

5:10pm I go to Fred Meyer without a baby in tow.

7:20pm Phase III - Dinner at the Ram with the Zappes and Blues

9:09pm Phone call from my dad and sister in California

10:30pm In bed asleep. (Baby Hazel decided to give me the final gift of the day and hit the sack 2 hours earlier than usual.)

Thursday, my neighbor Lori and friend Melissa brought me lunch since 5 kids tends to cramp your dining-out style.

Friday - My friend Jen takes me to ameRAWcan Bistro in Tacoma and we both moan ourselves into hysteria over fresh, organic, vegan faire. It was absolutely thrilling and converting!! Probably one of the top favorite restaurants of all time. (Stay tuned for a post all about it!)
Saturday 11:00am - Louise and Lori take me out for a pedicure and frozen yogurt.

Patriotic Red
2:00pm - Mother-in-law arrives and we get all the grandkids together for the first time ever.
7:00pm Cake
Superb amounts of fun, friends and food. I had such a blast that now I might never return to household chores. I am also officially DUN with cake for a lifetime.

My husband really outdid himself. I am forever in his debt. Warm fuzzies to last me another year!

Who's Your Daddy?

Father's Day 2012

These kids have it made. A terrific father and playmate, Rob has become the father he always wanted. He is the father I didn't know he would be but has become.

(However, Hazel looks like she is on the imaginary phone and just got told some very upsetting news.)

I MIGHT have overdone it this year with this 48-ton beauty. A root beer layer cake enrobed in a dark chocolate buttercream, fenced in with KitKats and then topped with a heaping pile of M&M's. The kids crafted little "dads" out of Nilla Wafers, Mamba soft chews, and an edible ink pen.

Thanks to the King County Library System and their allowance of 25 color prints per library card, per week, I got to make this poster free of charge. A great idea for any birthday or holiday that won't run down your printer ink.